Tree ball binder



July 5, 193.8. J. slMz-:oNE 2,122,663

TREE BALL BINDER Filed oct. ,16, les? .Patented July 5, 1938 y AUru'rlazo STATES i PATENT OFFICE Claims.

'I'he present invention relates to an improved apparatus for use in tree transplanting and to the method of preparing a tree for transplanting. It is necessary, in the transporting of trees,

5 to form a compact ball or core of dirt around the extending roots and so secure the core as to form a substantially integral mass. It is also essential that this mass remain solid throughout the transportation of the tree in orderto prevent the drying out of the earth surrounding the roots.

An object of the present invention is an apparatus which enables the wrapping of the core and the securing of same to place it under compression to maintain the mass solid while the tree is still standing. f

A further object is an apparatus which permits tensioning of the securing apparatus to obtain an even distribution of pressure throughout the mass at any time during the transplanting 20 of the tree.

A still further object is an apparatus which may be readily adjustable to various sizes of trees and which flexibly adjusts itself to the contour of the ball or core.

Another object is an improved method of preparing the tree for transplanting whereby the ball or core of earth is wrapped and placed under compression prior to the lifting of the tree from the ground. f

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.-

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplied in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment which the present invention may take:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention with the upper reaches of the tree omitted;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is a detail view of a securing device used in the apparatus.

Referring to the drawing, a ball or core A is formed by digging out the earth to form a cir cumferential trench B spaced at suicient distance from the tree trunk, which distance de- 50 pends upon the size of tree being uprooted, and then tunnelling under the ball, as at C, until the core A rests on a minimum foundation D. The exposed area of the core A between the trunk of the tree and the foundation D is then wrapped in a suitable fabric E. The trench must be of sufficient size to permit a workman to move therein and place the apparatus as hereinafter described.

This apparatus comprises a bottom ring or member I0 which is locked together in any suitable way. The ring shown has outturned threaded studs II adapted to receive locking bars or braces I2 secured thereon by nuts I4. There is further provided a top ring I5 which is also made of sections locked together in any suitable way. The ring shown has upstanding studs I6 adapted to receive locking bars or braces I'I, which braces are secured in place by nuts I8. With the top and bottom rings made in sections as described, it is apparent that they may be readily placed around the foundation D and the trunk of the tree While the tree remains in position. There is further provided a plurality of segmental plates I9 disposed circumferentially around the core and spaced outwardly from top ring l5, thus 1ying intermediate of the top and bottom rings. The plates I9 are provided along their inner edge with openings 29 and their outer edge With openings 2| in which are rings 22 loosely mounted. Interconnecting the top ring I5 and the segmental plates I9 are a plurality of turn buckles 23 l having one end pivotally mounted on the top ring I5 and the other pivotally connected in one of the openings 20 of the plates I9. The apparatus is completed by interconnecting the segmental plates I9 and the bottom ring I0 with the exible line 24, which line may be of rope, Wire, or any other suitable material which will readily adjust itself to the contour of the core. It will be observed that the line 24 starts at ring 25 in one of the segmental plates; is then passed downwardly around the core and around ring I0; then upwardly and through two adjacent rings 26 carried by the plate; again downwardly and around a ring I0; and then upwardly and through an end ring 21 of the segmental plate. The line is then passed through an end ring 28 of the next segmental plate, and so on around the core until the free end again reaches ring 25 where it is secured after placing as much tension as possible thereon.

By so interconnecting the segmental plates and the bottom ring, the line 24 serves to make with the plates I9 a complete circle, thus spacing and maintaining the segmental plates I9 in proper circumferential relationship to the topand bottom rings.

In preparing large trees for transplanting after the wrapping E has been placed about the core, the bottom ring I0 may be placed in position -about the periphery of the foundation D. It is apparent that the top ring I5, turn buckle 23, and segmental plates I9 may always be kept assembled and, by removing one top brace Hand slacking off the other, the sections may be spread and placed around the trunk of the three and then secured in place. With the segmental plate I9 so secured, the line 24 may be interwoven between the bottom ring I0 and through the rings 22 of the segmental plates I9 and made as taut as possible and then secured, as at 25. When so secured, the entire massor ball may be placed under compression by adjusting the turn buckles 23, and, in so adjusting, the plates I9, being pivot-f,v

ally mounted both on the turn buckle 23 and rings 22, will adjust themselves to the contour of the core, thus assuring an equal distribution ofpressure throughout the core. With theV apparatus so secured, it is apparent that bottom ring I 0, line 24, and rings 22 will bite into the fabric and hold it securely in place, and, as the tension is increased', any slackl which may have been' in the fabric will be taken up. With theballor core so secured, an upward lift may be put on the .tree

to liftitbodily from thetrench. If at anytime during transportation the core vA shows signs of gether and comprises a. segmental member 3l).r

havingl a plurality of openings v3l therethrough to receive studs Il or l 6 of thetop and bottom rings.

The various openings allowfor adjustment Yof the rings, dependinguponnthey size, of the tree. .being moved.

It is apparent that the apparatus may be. used. ontreesvaryng widely insize, inasmuchv as thel spacing between the rings I0 and the segmental Y plates` |9.is of such extent that the line 24i--will take up any' difference therebetween andtheicircumferential size varied by `removing one or more of the segmental plates I9. l

Asr many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of thisr inventionl could.' be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all "matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specic features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which,vas a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the character described, top and bottom rings, a plurality of segmental holdingy membersl intermediateof the rings, flexible means interconnecting one ring with said memy bers, and adjustable tensioning means securing vthe other ring with said members.

2. In a device of the character described, a

top sectional ring, means for integrally securing said sections, a bottom sectional ring, means for tional top ring,V means for integrallysecuring the sections, aA plurality of segmental plates spaced from the top ring,y a plurality of turn buckles interconnecting the plates and toprring aseotional bottom.ring, means for. integrally. securing the` sections, `and a flexible. line interconnect-- ing the segmental plates andthe bottom ring.

5. In a ,c".evice ofV the character. described, a

sectional top ring, securing means forsaid :sec-

tions, a pluralityY ofsegmentalflat plates .spaced from` said V4ring and, circurnferentiallyA disposed relative thereto, said 4platesghaving. a plurality of.

vertical openings adjacent the inner/and outerf sectional, ring, securing. means for saidV sections,.

a u flexibleline. adapted,` toA be valternately gpassed A through said plate rings and around said .bottom` ring to interconnectsaid plates and, bottomrings,

a plurality of .turn buck1eshavingxone-end pivotfA ally mounted @Il said top ringandthepther end t0 the inner, edges :of theplateswherebrwhen. 

